Wouldn't You Rather Be Broke in Paradise?

Everyone warned me.

They tried to tell me stories of all the people they knew that moved to Southern California, only to have to move back a year later, because it was so expensive.

I like to learn things the hard way. I wanted to prove them wrong.

I suppose I’ve done both of those things, but at what cost?

The moral of this story is that some things are worth the high price tag. Maybe that thing for you isn’t the city where you reside, but instead the car that you drive. Or maybe it’s the meal delivery service you subscribe to. Or the biodegradable cat litter you buy.

The priorities you spend your paycheck on don’t mean that you have to stop complaining about their price tag (although we wish you would), as long as you are enjoying them.

The Cons; reasons why you don’t want to live here.

Spoiler alert: the only things I can think of are money related.

Gas is often over $4 a gallon, and you’ll spend most of it in traffic. I ride my bike more often to even out that price tag.

It’s not just the gas though, it’s everything.

• The drinks at the bar
• The movie tickets
• The rent!
• The groceries. At $5 a box, I live in the most expensive US cities to buy cereal.

I’ll never own a home here, and it’s not from lack of trying. I would love to have a little patch of grass for a garden, but that’s unlikely as long as I’m living in a vacation destination.

Even the most modest of shacks cost close to a million, and don’t stay on the market for longer than a few days. If you think you can afford that, Surprise! you actually still can’t, because investors come in with cash every. single. time.

It’s also hard to make friends to invite to tea in my garden, because everyone is always moving out of this transient city.

Hey, I suppose that means more job openings to pay off these credit cards.

The Pros; why I choose to live in debt.

So then why the heck am I still here? Why do I insist on planting seeds in a 400 square foot apartment with no air conditioning?

Because it’s worth it, that’s why.

I moved here for a reason, and I am reminded of that reason every time I go outside.

The weather is 75 degrees almost every day of the year, and perfect for all my outdoor shenanigans.

I can spend all that gas money I saved from riding my bike on road trips, because I’m surrounded by National Parks and weekend adventures.

I can go down to Mexico for an afternoon if I want bluer water and even better tacos.

Most importantly, you can be anything you want to be here. There’s a job path for everything you could possibly want to do. There’s a Meetup for every group you want to be a part of.

Being around people that are so supportive of each other’s hopes and dreams is my definition of a “Golden State.” That alone is worth the painful price of rent.

Last Thoughts

Back home, I was paying less money for more space, but it came at a higher cost. No amount of extra spending money could make me move back there.

The details are meant for another article, but I can say that the Southern states of ‘Merrrica are not for me.

You would think for as much as I love it in my new location I would stop complaining about the price.

So what is it that you are overpaying for? Your car payment? Your amazon subscription?

If you take pride in your wheels, and driving them brings you insurmountable joy then the price is probably worth it. If you don’t want to compromise on the convenience that Amazon brings your life, then their annual fee probably doesn’t seem all that outrageous.

You work hard to enjoy the money that you make. Enjoying what you worked so hard for doesn’t make you reckless.

Most of us probably have things we pay too much money for, mine just happens to be constant sunshine.

I give up a lot to live here, but I get a lot in return.